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Brothers lose home and factories in fire

Penal brothers Premraj and Himraj Sinanan suffered an estimated $3 million in losses when fire destroyed their woodworking factories and family home on Friday night. Yesterday Premraj, who sustained burns to his forehead and both hands when he tried to salvage belongings from the fire at Latchoos Road, was too traumatised to talk when the T&T Guardian visited the family. He was released from the San Fernando General Hospital yesterday after being treated for burns and high blood pressure.

His brother Himraj, 50, became emotional as he pleaded for help from Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar. He said the family lost everything in the blaze. He said what made the situation worse is that he was moving his operations from the home next week. “I was supposed to move out next week. This was my last week, I was doing a kitchen piece for $60,000. Now that burn down and I have to pay back the people for that,” he lamented.

Himraj said for the past 12 years he and his brother had been operating separate woodworking factories at their home. He said 13 workers are now on the breadline. He said he had gone to the movies Friday when a friend called to tell him the factory was on fire. “When I come there was nothing I could do. I could not save anything. I had industrial machinery in there, it is expensive. I had compressors too,” he lamented.

His cousin Mitranath Lallaram, 52, who lives next door, said he was at home at around 10 pm when he heard shouting. “All of a sudden when I came outside I see fire blazing. We tried to put out the fire, the neighbours came and help but we could not save anything. My house start to catch up too and all the windows break from the heat,” Lallaram said. The cause of the fire is still to be determined.